


Something He Didn't Know

by Ot3srock



Category: Shazam! (2019)
Genre: Freddy Freeman Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Billy Batson, Nightmares, Pedro Pena is a good brother, Screaming, TW:mentions of death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:35:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ot3srock/pseuds/Ot3srock
Summary: Lately, he found himself having less and less nightmares.Until he woke up to screaming.More specifically, Freddy screaming.OrFreddy has a nightmare and an unlikely sibling comes to his rescue
Relationships: Billy Batson & Freddy Freeman, Darla Dudley & Freddy Freeman, Freddy Freeman & Pedro Peña
Comments: 9
Kudos: 52





	Something He Didn't Know

**Author's Note:**

> TW for nightmares, and semi-graphic depiction of death/violence.

Billy knew that every member of the Vasquez clan had nightmares. He could see it in the anxious look hidden behind Mary’s eyes, the avoidant gaze of Pedro’s eyes, the heavy tiredness of Eugene’s eyes, the pure fear and tears in Darla’s eyes, and the sadness in Freddy’s eyes. Hell, even Victor and Rosa had telltale signs of nightmares, though they hid it well from their foster kids. Well, all except Billy.

Billy could tell their signs because they were ones he saw in himself after he had nightmares. The bags and the slight tenseness in their shoulders. The way they were more protective of their children afterward also gave them away.

Billy was getting used to being comforted after his nightmares. If he screamed, Victor or Rosa would hug him until he calmed down and offer him a place in their bed. If he cried, Freddy would do the same. Lately, he found himself having less and less nightmares.

Until he woke up screaming.

Wait.

No.

The screams weren’t coming from _his_ mouth, which only meant one thing.

He woke up _to_ screaming.

More specifically, _Freddy screaming_.

It took him a second to shake the haze of sleep off himself, but then Billy climbed down the ladder and took in the scene before him. What he saw nearly broke his heart.

Freddy, with the covers kicked to the edge of the bed, was thrashing around, screaming at the top of his lungs, clutching and clawing at his neck, leaving behind nasty, red marks. His bare feet were kicking violently, as if trying to get away from some invisible force. Billy wasn’t sure what to do, but he didn’t have to flounder for long, as the door creaked open slowly.

It wasn’t surprising that someone else had heard the screams and had come to comfort one of the middle children of the family. Mary was still there for the summer, at least, and Victor or Rosa was sure to have heard, even with their room being downstairs away from the kids. Surely, one of those three would-

“Pedro?” Billy whispered incredulously, staring at the older boy standing in the doorway. Pedro shrugged and walked into the room, headed straight for Freddy’s bunk. He knelt next to the bed and Billy stared at him, shocked and unable to do anything. He noticed that Freddy’s fingernails were leaving cuts on his neck, long, red, and bleeding. Pedro reached out and touched Freddy’s elbow gently, rubbing up and down slowly.

“Freddy, wake up. It’s a dream. Wake up,” Pedro whispered, quietly enough that Billy had to strain to hear him. It seemed to be working, because Freddy’s hands stopped scratching and his legs stopped kicking, but he still wasn’t waking. He was shaking still and Pedro sighed. The older boy ran a gentle hand through Freddy’s hair and then ducked. Billy quickly learned why when Freddy shot up with a gasp, spinning around and shoving at the air and whatever attacker had been in his dream. He looked around and in the light from the moon streaming through the window, Billy saw his brown eyes fill with realization and fear and then heavy tears that spilled onto his cheeks. He sobbed heavily, curling in on himself and muttering apologies over and over again.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he cried, burying his head in his knees. Pedro pulled himself up onto the bed and sat next to his younger brother, who instantly curled into his side.

“Billy, can you make him a cup of tea?” Pedro whispered, looking to the boy standing stock still near the desk. Billy nodded.

“Sure.” He left the room, closing the door behind him. Pedro turned to Freddy, opening his mouth to speak, but Freddy beat him to it.

“I was back in the tank again,” he mumbled, sniffling. “But it was…it was different. Sivana was there. He said ‘call for your superhero boyfriend or I’ll kill the little girl’. He had Darla, Pedro. And he was gonna kill her. I tried to yell for help, but I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t say the word to turn and…” Freddy paused, took several shaky, hyperventilating breaths before continuing. “He shot Darla, Pedro. I saw her die. She bled out right in front of me because I’m a coward. She was screaming and crying and I couldn’t stop it. I tried to tell him to take me instead, but I couldn’t breathe and he killed Darla and he was going to kill you guys, too and I couldn’t do anything about it and I…” Freddy burst into tears again, hiding his face in his hands as his shoulders shook with harsh sobs. Pedro wrapped an arm around his shoulders and gently shushed him.

“Freddy, it’s okay. Darla’s fine, she’s sleeping right now, okay? And everyone else is sleeping, too. We’re all fine, I promise,” he soothed.

“I…I know. Logically, I know, but…”

“It’s still hard to believe after that, I get it,” Pedro finished for him. “Do you want to go check on Darla? Make sure she’s okay?” Freddy nodded, so Pedro helped him up and handed him his crutch and the two walked down the hall to Darla’s room, opening the door slowly and quietly. Freddy stepped inside gently and watched the steady rise and fall of his little sister’s chest. Darla’s eyes fluttered open.

“Freddy?” she whispered, voice filled with sleep. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Darla. Go back to sleep,” Freddy told her, surprised at how steady his voice was. Darla nodded and closed her eyes, cuddling up closer to her stuffed animal. Freddy brushed some hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead gently. She smiled and Freddy watched the rise and fall of her chest for a few more moments before he left, letting Pedro close the door behind them. They made their way back to Freddy and Billy’s room, Freddy stopping in the doorway and glancing hesitantly at the bottom bunk.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to,” Pedro consoled. Freddy nodded and shuffled into the room, He sat on the bed and pulled his legs up into a crossed position. Pedro sat next to him, mirroring his form. They stayed like that until Billy came back with a cup of tea. Freddy reached out to take it, letting the cup warm his hands and ground him. Billy sat across from the bed in the desk chair. Freddy sipped at his tea timidly and neither boy said anything, just sat and waited, listening to the sounds of the night outside the slightly open window.

When the tea was finished, Pedro took the cup and left quietly. Freddy yawned and laid down in his bed, pulling the kicked off sheets back up onto himself. Billy slowly climbed the ladder to his own bed and settled back under the covers himself. There was more silence as Billy stared at the ceiling and Freddy stared at the slats of Billy’s bunk.

“Drowning,” Freddy spoke after a while. If Billy hadn’t seen the fear in Freddy’s eyes at the thought of going back to sleep, he would have assumed the boy was asleep. “I’m drowning in all of those dreams,” Freddy clarified.

“Oh,” was all Billy could manage.

“I haven’t had one of those dreams in a while, though, just so you know,” Freddy continued. “I mean, in case you were worried I’d wake you again.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” There was another long silence.

“I’m sorry,” Freddy chimed.

“For what?” Billy asked.

“For waking you,” Freddy replied.

“It’s okay. Are you okay?” The question felt heavy and awkward, like a 20-pound weight falling off his tongue.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you wanna keep talking?”

“Not really.”

“Okay.” That was the first time Freddy _hadn’t_ wanted to talk about anything, especially after a nightmare. Usually, he’d talk non-stop to keep himself from thinking about what had happened in his dream. Another pause, this time longer than the other one and Billy found himself dozing off.

“Hey, Billy?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“Any time, Freddy.” Maybe there wasn’t much he could do right now, but Freddy seemed to think something he’d done was good and for Billy, that was enough.


End file.
